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November 21, 2016


Terry, Cesc Turn Out For U23s  (Sky Sports)

John Terry and Cesc FabregasJohn Terry and Cesc Fabregas played for Chelsea Under-23s on Monday after being left on the bench for the first team in Sunday's win over Middlesbrough.

Michy Batshuayi also featured in the experienced development side on Monday after missing out on first-team duties, which saw Diego Costa's 10th Premier League goal this season help the Blues to a 1-0 win at the Riverside Stadium.

Batshuayi, a £33m summer signing, scored twice in a 3-2 win over Southampton at Chelsea's Cobham training ground in the Premier League 2, with Antonio Conte watching on from the sidelines.

Terry, Fabregas and Batshuayi have not started a Premier League game for the senior side in almost two months, and were included in the U23 game on Monday after a lack of playing time for the first team.

Terry played 70 minutes of the game alongside Kurt Zouma - who is continuing his recovery from injury - in a 3-4-3 formation.

Marco van Ginkel also played in the development side as one of three over-age outfield players permitted to feature alongside 35-year-old Terry and 29-year-old Fabregas.

Chelsea have won their last six Premier League matches without conceding a goal having switched to a new formation.

David Luiz, Gary Cahill and Cesar Azpilicueta have formed a three-man defence which has left Terry unable to get back in the starting line-up despite having recovered from the ankle injury which ruled him out for a month in October.

Meanwhile, Fabregas has not started since Chelsea's 3-0 defeat at the hands of his former club Arsenal on September 24.



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